Lock for mail-bags



F. L. GRAHAM, JR.

LOCK FOR MAIL BAGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18. 1921.

1,398,638. Patented Nov. 29,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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F. L. GRAHAM, JR.

LOOK FOR MAIL BAGS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.18. 1921.

1,398,638, Patnted Nov. 29, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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LOOK FOR MAIL-BAGS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 0V. 29, 1921.

Application filedJ'anuary 18,1921. Serial No. 438,137;

newspaper mail bag, whereby the ordinary newspaper mail bag may beconverted into what is termed asa locked pouch.

In ordinary newspaper mail sacks, a draw string is providedforclosingthe top thereof and this draw string is provided with a tiefastener. No means has heretofore been contemplated for preventing theopening of the sack by unauthorized persons. Itis therefore anotherprime object of this-invention to provide an improved lock fordetachable engagement with the ordinary draw string tie fastener so astoprevent the string from being drawn through the same by unauthorizedpersons.

further prime object of the invention is to provide an improved meansfor converting the ordinary newspaper mail bag into a locked pouch in aconvenient and inexpensive manner. r .A. still further object of theinvention is to provide an improved lock for the ordinary tie fastenerof newspaper mail sacks which can be easily and quickly placed inposition and locked against displacement and quickly and easily unlockedand 'removed from the ba A still further object of the invention is V toprovide a lock for mail sacks of the above character which is durableand efiicient in use, one that is simple and easy to manufacture, andone which'can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

- With-these andother objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel construction, 7 arrangement andformation .of parts, as

will be 1 hereinafter more specifically described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying 'drawing;fforming a part of thisspecification, in which drawings:

- f .rHFigurelisa plan view of the improved lock, showing the same inoperative posiimproved looking I ENT OFFICE.

tion on a tie fastener for newspaper mail sacks. v

F 2 is aside elevation of the same. .1? 1g. 3 is an enlarged plan viewof the improved lock showing the cover plate thereof removed, and thelockingjawsthereof in their open extended position.

- Fig. l is a similarview showingthe look;

ing j awszin their locked operativepositions. I, Fig; 5-- is a verticallongitudinalsection through the improved-lock showing the same in.lockedposition on a tie fastener, thetie fastener being also showninfsectiom vFig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section through theimproved lockshowing the same removed from the tie fastener andillustrating the lockingjaws in their open extended position. I 1 Flg.isia detail'transverse 'vertlcal section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig.5.

Fig. 8 is a detailperspective view ofthe olt utilized and showingthe-locking jaws carried. thereby;

- Fig. v9 is a detail plan view .or one of the looking tumblers employedfor; holding the locking'bolt in its locked position, and 1 V F ig;lO'is a detail-plan .View of the key employed for actuating the lockingtumbler, parts of the key being shown in section.

Referring" to the drawings ,vinj detail,

wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, the letter A indicates an ordinarynewspaper mail sack tie fastener,.and

B, the improved lock therefor.

{As stated, the tie A is of the ordinary or any preferred constructionand as shown includes the base plate 15 having the spaced guides 16, 17and 18, formed on the upper surface thereof for slidably receiving thedraw string or cord 19 which is employed for closing the upper end of.the newspaper mail sack (not'shown). The middle guide edly connectedthereto the usual locking members 20 and 21 which are provided with theusual bores 22through which slidably extend the draw string. This tie isoperated in the usual manner and it can be seen that 17 for the drawstring or rope. 19 has hi'ng-'- with the ordinary label container 23,which as shown includes the longitudinally extending side flanges and anend flange 24.

The improved lock 13 for the tie fastener A consists of a substantiallyrectangular casing 25, and as shown this casing 25 includes the upperand lower walls 26 and 27, the side walls 28 and an end rear wall 29.These walls may be riveted or secured together in any preferred manner.As shown "the upper wall 26 is reniovably associatedwith the side wallsand the end wall 29 and is held in position by means of a fasteningelement 30 which extends into the hollow post 31, which forms a pivotpin for the tumblers 32 and 33, which are mounted in the casing andwhich will be hereinafter more specifically described. The'post 31 alsohas mounted thereon the spacing sleeve 34 which is positionedintermediatev the upper wall 26 and the upper surface of the tumbler 32.The provision of this spacing sleeve 34 holds the tumblers in theircorrect operative positions. It also can be seen that the forward end ofthe case is left opened and thisend of the case is adapted to haveslidably mounted therein the lock bolt 35. The forward end of the lockbolt 35 is provided with a rigid stationary jaw 36 and a pivoted jaw 37.The pivoted jaw 37 as shown is arranged uppermost and is provided withinwardly extending biting teeth .38 which are adapted to engage the drawstringer rope 19. The lower rigid jaw 36 is provided with an inwardlyextending tooth 39, which is of exactly the same width of the spaceintermediate the said flanges 24 formed on the label holder and thistooth is adapted to lit in between the same and prevent accidental thefastener. The lock bolt 35 is provided adjacent to .its forward end withtransversely extending cross rib 40 which has secured thereto by meansof a pivot pin 41 the inner end of the pivoted jaw 37.

The tumblers 31 and are positioned in rear of the transversely extendingribf40 and slidably engage the upper surface of the locking bolt 35.Each of these tumblers 31 and 32 are provided with a gate 42 and theopposite sides of these gates 42 are provided with inwardly extendinglugs 43, the inner surfaces of which are inclinedto permit of the ridingpast the same of the upstanding post 44 carried by the lock bolt 35.This upstanding post 44 is adapted to engage behind the abrupt shouldersformed on the lug 43. As clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawings,the transversely extending rib 40 is also provided with rearwardlyextending feet 45 which are adapted to engage the 111- nersurface of thetop wall 26 adjacent to v the forward end of the same when the pivotedjaw is extended entirely out of the casing. The provision of these feet45 holds movement of the lock on the lock bolt 35 in its correctposition against displacement in the casing at all times. The

pivoted jaw 37 is adapted to be normally held in a raised extendedposition away from the rigid jaw 36 by means of a spring 46, which iscoiledaround the pivot pin 41. As shown the opposite ends of this springen gage the inner faces of the cross rib 40 and the pivoted jaw 37. Thelocking bolt 35 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 47which is adapted to receive the post 31 and the post 31 vforms a guidefor the locking bolt in its movement back and forth in the casing 25.The rear end of the bolt 35 is also provided with a longitudinallyextendin slot 48 which also slidabl receives a guide pin 49 which formsa pivot for the key designated by the numeral 50b" The lower wall 27 ofthe casing carries adjacent to its rear end a headed pin 51 and thisheaded p1n 51 supports a leaf sprlng 52 which is adapted to engage therear end of the lock bolt 35 and normally tends to urgev the lock bolt35 out of the open end of the a leaf spring 54 attached thereto and thisleafspring engages the inner surface of oneof the side walls 38 andnormally tends to hold'one of the lugs 43 in engagement with the post 44and thereby prevent movement of the-locking bolts 35 within the casing.It can be seen that the lugs 43 are directly opposite each other and itwill be apparent that a key of the exact type will be necessary tooperate the lock, inasmuch as if a key is utilized which has too long abight portion, the tumbler would be moved too far over and thus positionthe opposite shoulder in engagement with the post 44. The upper wall 26is provided with a keyhold 55 in which is adapted to fit the key 50.

The key 50; as shown, 1s provided .witl a shank provided with a bore 61for the reception of the guide post 49 and this post, as stated, forms apivot for the key. The shank is provided with the outwardly extendingbight portion 62 which is shaped so as to engage both of the tumblers-32and 33 so as to swing the same on their pivots 3.1 a suficient distanceto move the shoulders formed thereon out of engagement with the post 44.In operation of the improved lock, the tie fastener A is slid up on thedrawstring 19 as far as the same will go after the draw string has beendrawn through the upper end of the bag to close the same. After thefastenerhas been positioned, thus, the ter:' minals of the draw stringor rope are folded back over the base plate 15 alongside of the ui s and18 after which t e j ws 36 spring 52.

and 37 are placed over and in engagement with the fastener. As shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 5 the pivoted jaw 37 is placed so that the tooth 38thereof will engagethe draw string so as to tightly bind the sameagainst the base plate, while the teeth 39 formed on the rigid jaw 36engage in the slot between the side flanges of the label holder. Whenthe jaws have been placed in correct position the casing is slid up onthe jaws, which will effectively hold the jaws in their correct positionagainst accidental movement. When the casing 25 has been moved up on thelocking bolt 35 a suflicientdistance, the tumblers 32 and 33 will beactuated by the springs :54, and move the shoulders 43 in front of thepost 44: which. will effectively hold the bolt against movement. When itis desired to remove the lock tie fastener, it is merely necessary toinsert the key 50 into the key hole 55 and rotate the same on the guidepost or pin 49, which. will actuate the tumblers as stated and permitthe bolt to be moved outward of the casing by the From the foregoingdescription, it can be seen that an improved lock of exceptionallysimple and durable construction has been provided for the ordinary tiefasteners now employed on newspaper mail'sacks which will effectivelyconvert the sacks into a locked pouch and thereby permit of its use, ifso desired, for ordinary first class mail work.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit orscope of this invention as set forth in the appended claims: r

1. The combination with the ordinary tie fastener for the draw stringsof a newspaper mail sack, of a detachable look therefor including a pairof locking jaws, and a slidable casing arranged to receive the aws, andmeans for preventing sliding movement of the jaws in relation to thecasing.

2. The combination with the ordinary tie fastener of a mail sack, of adetachable lock therefor including a pair of locking jawsarranged toengage the tie fastener and draw string, of a sliding casing arranged toreceive thejaws, and releasable key operated means for preventingmovement of the jaws in relation to the casing. r

3. The combination with the ordinary tie fastener of a mail sack, of adetachable lock therefor including a casing, a sliding bolt the tie cordand tie fastener, pivoted key operated tumblers arranged in the casingfor engagement with the bolt to prevent V movement therefor when thebolt isin its innermost position in the casing.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a lock for the tie fasteners ofnewspaper mail sacks comprising a casing having an open end, a slidingbolt arranged in the casing, a rigid jaw carried by the bolt, a pivotedjaw carried by the bolt and arranged to extend beyond the casing whenthe bolt is in its extended position, locking tumblers arranged in thecasing and adapted to engage the bolt to normally hold the same-in itsinnermost the tumblers to permit the sliding of the bolt in said casing.

position, and means for releasing 7 5 As a new article of manufacture a,de- A tachable lock for the tie fasteners of newspaper mail sackscomprising a rectangular casing having an open end, a bolt slidablymounted in the casing through said open end, a rigid jaw carried by thebolt, a pivoted jaw carried by the bolt and arranged to extend beyondthe casing when the bolt-is in its extended position, spring means fornormally urging the bolt outwardly of the casing, a post carried by thebolt, locking tumblers pivotally' mounted in the casing, each of thetumblers having gates formed therein arranged to receive the post, andmeans for actuating the tumblers. Y

6. As a new article of manufacture, a lock mail bags comprising a casinghaving an open end, a locking bolt slidably' mounted in the casingthrough said open end, a rigid jaw formed on the casing carried by thebolt, a pivoted jaw carried by the bolt, the pivoted jaw being adaptedto extend beyond the casing when the bolt is in its extended position, aplurality of pivoted tumblers arranged in the casing, a post formed onthe locking bolt and adapted to be engaged by the tumblers, the tumblershaving operatively disposed shoulders formed thereon for engagement withthe post, spring means for normally urging the bolt out of the cas ing,spring means holding the tumblers in their correct posit-ion, and a keyfor operating the tumblers against the tension of said spring.

- FRANK L. GRAHAM, JR.

